High, Wide and Lonesome: Growing Up on the Colorado Frontier

by Hal Borland

Book Overview

Hal Borland migrated with his parents to the still unsettled, windswept high plains of eastern Colorado to take advantage of the Homestead Act. There they built a house from scratch, raised livestock, and worked hard living off the land. High, Wide and Lonesome is Borland's fascinating first-hand account through the eyes of that 10-year-old boy who faced the challenges of the start of the twentieth century.

It was a hard life. The harsh weather...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1635618827
• ISBN13: 9781635618822
• Release Date: January 2020
• Publisher: Echo Point Books & Media
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A tale from the recent past

Hal Borland grew up on the Colorado frontier early in the 20th century, his family being among the last to take advantage of the Homestead Act. Although the story is set from 1910-1913, within the lifetime of a few old people I know, it's so far away from the world of the internet that it's staggering. In some ways like the Little House on the Prairie books, but somewhat more sophisticated, this is a completely true account of Mr. Borland's childhood, and it relates the events of his difficult life, and also explores deeper subjects such as the nature of time. A difficult book to find, but a very worthwhile read.

High, Wide, & Lonesome

The author moved to the Colorado frontier at the turn of the century when he was a preteen. His descriptions of the hard work for survival that his family endured, along with the peacefulness of a time that was not burdened by extra possessions, made me homesick for a different time. He reminded me that a lot of what we are missing is time to sit and look at the sky (there was no school nearby, so he didn't attend one). It was not an easy time, and illnesses before penicillan could be deadly. But courage and love went a long way, even though those words were not mentioned. I was quite moved by this family's determination to succeed.